The Creation of Frost
by IcicleJack
Summary: What would happen if the beloved Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians had actually been created in the Marvel universe? This is a tale of an experiment who learns that there is more to life than being a lab rat for SHIELD.
1. From Blood to Ice

**[Author's Note: Basically, don't kill me, but this is an idea that suddenly sparked when I was talking to a friend of mine. What if Marvel and ROTG collided? Basically, this is the story of Jack Frost if he would have been created had he been created by Marvel. PLEASE leave lots of reviews! It may shape how the story continues.~ ]**

* * *

**•~• CHAPTER ONE: FROM BLOOD TO ICE •~•**

* * *

SHIELD had a mission, and while many times it was misguided, that mission was to keep the citizens of Earth safe. How could they do that though, with so many new abnormals appearing on the very streets they fought to protect? Fury had spent hour after hour pondering the devastation that laid through Manhattan. The group of Avengers proved their worth against Loki, but what if the opposing force grew to something more powerful than a vengeful god? It seemed nearly impossible, but the vastness of space managed to hide many secrets from view... along with enemies.

The tense figure continued to sit at his desk, staring mindlessly at the paper order before him with a single good eye. The other of course, was hidden by a patch of leather, and while it certainly obscured the injured orb, it failed to hide the scars that cut across his dark skin with inky lines. His steepled fingers bounced slightly against his lips, running every scenario of this project through his head. Was he so scared of the unknown that he was going to actually subject a teenage boy to go through a process that paralleled that of the famous Captain America? Oh, Banner would have his head if he were to ever find out. Then again, if all went to plan, only a select few would ever know of this experiment's existence. ...if he even survived the procedure. Glancing up towards the ceiling, the eerie silence was broken by a long sigh. "Well, I'm going to hell anyhow. What's another reason?" His low voice mumbled before turning back to the neatly assorted folder. Taking up a rollerball, the head of SHIELD penned his name on the solid line near the bottom. That was it. Project: Deep Freeze was to go into immediate effect.

A tall lanky man, who had been other wise unmoving, suddenly pulled himself from the wall and walked towards the large desk. Bearing a short haircut and sideburns, in the dim light Fury could have almost mistook the newest agent for Coulson, which only caused his heart to twinge with regret. That was why they built weapons. The man with the biggest gun could prevent innocent death. He just had to make sure that he was that man. "Give this to Dr. Remons. He's to be the head of this experiment." The director issued the command in his same collected tone, lifting the collection of papers towards the other. With a small nod, the agent took hold of the piece of legislation and removed himself from the room.

And that was how it began. The very first mention of creating a boy who could use ice as a means of attack. A young, yet immortal soul that was to be known only as Frost.

* * *

The boy that was brought into the lab that day looked like any other teen. He had fairly long floppy brunette locks that were clearly in need of a trim, and chocolate eyes that looked out with innocent wonder. The Doctor couldn't believe that someone could be so inspired even while facing their possible death. Then again, considering the hoops that SHIELD had jumped through to get him—it wasn't that unbelievable. For the boy of only eighteen had a sister at home. One that was dying of heart failure and needed a donor within the week in order to remain among the living. The rather mature individual who turned out to be her brother had offered his very life to SHIELD so long as they made sure a replacement heart was issued before he gave up his will to a government organization.

All had gone accordingly, and as the boy was shuffled into the room, hands bound behind his back in case his mind swayed, a little girl hours away was going through a surgery to receive her new heart.

Dr. Remons would have offered a word of greeting to the individual, but found that it was probably inappropriate to speak to a patient, and so he instead issued orders to the team that was to assist with the risky procedure. The child was brought towards the center of the white-washed room, where a metal rectangle just big enough to fit him had been embedded into the floor. The pathologist looked up to his lab rat and saw that wonder melt away to fear. It was obvious that regret was setting in. Remons almost felt sympathy, but shook his head to clear away such distracting thoughts.

According to the pre-issued sequence, which was all sprawled onto the surrounding white boards, the boy was lowered into the chrome bathtub and latched down with metallic clamps. A single tear rolled down the teen's cheek as he began to visibly tremble. The team in turn showed only a hint of kindness and administered a powerful sedative. But, as cruel as it was, he had to be conscious for the whole ordeal. A group of seven individuals then bustled in activity, snatching a variety of colored tubing from the lab table, and plucking the ending needles into his freckled skin. He winced with every prick, but did not cry out in pain. He had to do this. For his sister. The last thing that he remembered seeing was that lead doctor, Remons, leaning over the edge to place some sort of gel masking over his eyes. The trembling only increased as he could no longer watch the horrors they had planned, but as another round of serum was pumped into his veins—his body fell to a still.

Once all the initial feeds were in place, a few larger hoses were pressured into his chest. It was in response to that a whimper broke through his lips. At this point, he almost hoped for death to bring a swift end to this nightmare. Yet, it was not over. Far from. A lid to this small metal lined container was lowered from the ceiling above, it's bottom lined with what looked like fluorescent light, but was instead filled with foreign materials that made them glow an eerie blue color. It descended on two chain link pulleys until clamping hard over the seal. No longer could the patient be seen, and step three was now set to begin. All of the associates moving towards the long lab table, where the multi-colored tubes found their homes, they watched eagerly for Remons to give them a command. The doctor, staying by the head of the tank throughout the horrific experiment, raised his hand in the air without giving them a second glance. It then dropped back to his side. A signal to the crew to release to stops in the vats of liquid, and allow the green syrup to trail through the near transparent tubes towards the poor trapped individual. The whole room hushed into silence as they watched, waiting until the whole line was filled with the substance before tiptoeing back to the center. Two medics made their way cautiously to the opposite end as the doctor, and uncapped a square portal in the lid. It was time for the compartment to be flooded with none other than liquid nitrogen.

A large cylinder tank was rolled from the room's corner, with a nozzle that was positioned over the holed metal. All of them gave a uniform moment of silence over their patient, just in case he never saw another day before releasing the pressurized nitrogen. A hiss filled the room as a cascade of mist spiralled from the release, hiding the mysterious water-like chemical that poured in and surrounded the boy below. Within minutes the whole area was occupied with the frigid mist, heeding even more mystery to the boy's fate.

* * *

Luckily, though, the experiment had gone without fault and no lives were lost. Within hours, the same team that had practically frozen the poor thing alive, were prying him from his metal prison, and getting him onto a gurney. From there, the child who had now gained the name 'Frost' was taken into processing. His old clothing, now crusted with frozen bits of water, were cut from his form and he was clad in specialized SHIELD apparel. Which, pretty much consisted of a iridescent light-blue t-shirt and shorts. Written across the fabric that covered his right shoulder was printed in block letters his code. After all, he was merely a piece of property now.

[ 027563 FROST ]

But, the change in clothing was not the only difference in his physical appearance. While undergoing the 'upgrade' his brunette locks had taken to a glistening white. Once he finally regained consciousness, it was also apparent that his chocolate irises had been morphed into the clearest hue of blue. With lighter streaks that seemed to hint that of a snowflake buried within those confused eyes.

Oh, and Frost was certainly confused. He had no memory of the any event prior to his reawakening in SHIELD's infirmary. That had not been a fluke, though. The doctor had made strict arrangements to wipe away the boy's mind. It made him more malleable to them, and easier to turn into his desired purpose: a weapon.

* * *

However, all of that had been weeks ago. Since then, Frost had been ushered through drill after drill. While he threw out strings of questions towards the labcoats that ran his activities, very few were answered. The poor thing didn't know where he was, why he was there, or if he was ever going to leave. Instead, there were only two things that the child knew without hesitation:

One. My name is Frost. 027563 Frost to be exact. Only humans have first and last names.

Two. I am not human. I am an experiment who can create frost, and cause storm clouds to form.

This day had been like any other, jostled from bed at an hour far too early to agree with him, and shoved into training. From there he was fed some substance from a tube, and the pushed into an even larger room for the many tasks he was forced to perform. Anyone else would have complained, and insisted that the treatment was cruel. But Frost knew no better, and figured that since he was less than the humans around him it must be his existence to serve. So, there came no refutes as a massive snow cloud was conjured over the boy's head.

Finally, at the end of the day, all the lab coats took their exit and Frost was left alone in the blinding white space. His head lowered towards his chest, but made no movement. Someone would be along to fetch him shortly, and instruct him to his sleeping quarters. Little did he know that this time it would not be the stark agent he was use to, but rather a new face...

The intern.


	2. Forbidden Friendship

**[Author's Note: CHAPTER TWO~ And it's a long one! Bare with me, everyone. This is a test run. See, here we are introducing an OC by the name of Lucy who will help guide around young Jack through most of this adventure. And yes, I did mean "we"! This tale is actually going to be a sort of duet piece crafted by myself and another talented writer who is the proud creator of Lucy: **** ~tryst2000 **

**Again, reviews are what makes the world go round, so please leave one! Oh, and keep a sharp lookout throughout these upcoming chapters. You never know who might turn up.~ ]  
-Love IcicleJack  
**

* * *

**•~• CHAPTER TWO: FORBIDDEN FRIENDSHIP •~•**

* * *

Don't ask questions. Don't poke around. Don't do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed. Those had been her only instructions when Sitwell had sent her down to the lab. At first, she had been almost offended that she had been chosen for such a ridiculously easy job. Escort an individual from and back to their quarters from now on? Of course, it was far better than having to fetch memos and coffee for her superiors, but this was child's play, to be polite.

That is, until she saw the lab itself. Reinforced steel doors barred her way at nearly every turn down the winding corridors, each having their own specific entry code, all of which she had written hastily on her arm with black Sharpie. As she neared her destination, the thin sweater she wore did little to keep her body heat in and she was shivering before she could get the final door opened. Why did I ever leave the West Coast? She thought bitterly, cupping her hands around her mouth and blowing on her fingers to warm them. This was her first true experience with winter, with temperatures dropping faster than they could be tracked, ice that turned every flat surface into a walkway of terror and frost that completely froze over windows and windshields, blinding the world to the white wasteland outside.

It didn't feel much different in here than it had out there. But why would the lab be kept so cold? Nothing could possibly survive for long down here in such temperatures. Unless the whitecoats had done another experiment, like the others had spoken about.

It had been quite the buzz among the favored few, stories of a new super soldier, but one that outranked Captain Rogers, no contest needed. Agents and interns alike had their own theories about what had happened, on what Fury could be hiding down in the lab. It wasn't until that very moment that she remembered those rumors, how she had scoffed at them, dismissing it all as gossip of the feeble-minded and gullible. Now she was starting to wonder how gullible she had been to believe her superiors and wave it all off as merely being rumors.

The door opened with a whoosh, a blast of Arctic air nearly sending her tumbling over as she tried to take a step inside the room. If it had been cold before, it felt closer to Antarctica in here. Her cheeks immediately reddened from the cold and her teeth chattered, but only for a moment as she caught sight of the boy. Of everything she had expected coming down here, that had been the last thing on her mind. But one look and she knew, without a doubt in her mind, that this was no ordinary human boy.

His hair was a ghostly shade of pure white, almost translucent. The same could be said for his pale skin, although there was a faint bluish tinge to it, akin to frostbite. But his eyes caught and held her attention. They were glacier blue, the brightest and clearest blue she had ever seen before. It wasn't normal for someone's eyes to be so blue and bright, but she failed to entertain that thought for more than a moment. She had a job to do and if this was the super soldier she had heard about (although she doubted it, seeing as he wasn't more than a child), she had best look as professional as she could.

"I'm Lucy Donahue. Agent Sitwell sent me down here to take you back to your quarters. I'm your escort from now on," she spoke as clearly as she could, concentrating on keeping her teeth from chattering. "Do you have a name? Something I can call you by?"

The boy had been dozing prior to her arrival, allowing his mind to escape where his body could not. However, as the heavy entrance to his exercise room was opened, the child lifted his gaze to see who it was that had finally chosen to enter. Now, he had expected someone older. Someone who would round behind him and give a shove without any verbal commands. For that was how it had always been. But, instead, there was this... this girl. She must have been about his age, and looked at him with kind, thoughtful eyes instead of the blankness he normally spotted.

However, his mouth fell open in shock when she addressed him. In fact, he looked over both shoulders to make sure that she wasn't talking to someone else. The realization overwhelming him, the experimental boy lowered his sights to the floor. "Frost. My name is Frost." It was clear from the tone of voice that he felt unworthy of the conversation.

"Frost?" Her tone, which she had tried to keep friendly and kind, suddenly was colored with confusion. "Frost, is it? No first name or anything?"

That was absurd. Who didn't have a first name? Sure, she had met the few odd people in her life that had been known by their surname only, but even they had given names. This boy must have had one too.

From the tone of his voice alone, she could hear something that sounded almost as if he wasn't used to being talked to in such a way. Perhaps that was why she had been told not to ask questions. Oops. Questions led to more questions. Those led to answers best left alone. But curiosity was Lucy's middle name and by God, she was incredibly curious about the boy called Frost.

Hands clasped behind her back, she waited for an answer. But she could feel her fingers starting to go numb from the cold, the freezing air biting harshly at her nose.

He caught her eyes momentarily before averting once more to the tiled flooring beneath them. For a moment, the boy pondered what she could possibly mean by her questioning. But, then, he straightened his posture, and tapped the printed numbering on his shirt. "I don't have a first name. Only humans have first names.."

Frost sighed before allowing his shoulders to slump as well. Even though the memories of any other life were suppressed so deep he had no recollection, the boy had been able to sort out the fact that he was inferior towards the agents and scientists that worked around him. Lucy's conversation brought him great joy, but at the same time he felt as though it was wrong. For what if someone saw them? Would he get in trouble? Frost had always feared what would happen if he disobeyed his orders.

_Only humans have first names._

For some odd reason, that sent a chill that had nothing to do with the cold down Lucy's spine. Of course he had to be human. He wasn't some strange humanoid being from another planet. Well, as far as she knew of, he wasn't. But that didn't give him any less of a right to a first name. Her fiery temper was revving to let loose, to say exactly what she thought.

At the very last moment, she swallowed those words back, thinking of who was watching the room. One wrong word, a single phrase said against the agency, and that was it. She was terminated. As long as they were in here, she had to act like an agent.

Clearing her throat, she gestured toward the door, kept ajar with a doorjamb. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you back to your quarters for the night, Mr. Frost." The words felt fake, practiced, as if someone else had spoken them, not her. It was a feeling she hated but bore without complaint. What else could she do?

In a way, he was almost thankful that she had decided to finally do her job and escort him back to his own space for the only privacy he ever received. Not to mention the fact that the hours he was granted for sleeping were slim as it was. While this girl was nice, and a grand break from the rudeness he was faced with every other time, Frost was exhausted and not in the mood socializing. However, really, that was mostly due to the fact that he barely knew how to hold a conversation as it was.

Giving her a small nod, the boy shifted himself just a few steps before stopping. Lucy was here to escort him, after all, and even though he knew the path by heart he seemed to still need someone to guide him. His equally white teeth grit as he thought of the answer. SHIELD didn't want him doing anything but what was required, and so all the agents had been sent to make sure he didn't wind up somewhere he shouldn't. Or heaven forbid that the teenager have any fun. But, no. Humans had fun. Experiments such as himself, did not.

Now that he was standing so close, the intern could see for herself how young he was, hardly a man, little more than a boy. If she had to guess at his age, he had to be at most a year younger or older than herself. He was a head taller than her and his lean muscles were vaguely visibly through the sleeves of his shirt, not what she had expected from the " next-gen super soldier" that had been all the rage only days ago.

Her eyes met his for a fraction of a second and she looked away, not sure what to think as she led him down the corridor. His eyes seemed so...sad. It was the only word she could think to describe it. What did they subject him to, to keep him in this state? Surely Captain Rogers hadn't been treated in such a way. True, things had changed immensely in seventy years, but what happened to peace on Earth, goodwill toward men? Apparently, that only applied during the holidays.

Speaking of which... Once they were farther away from the lab, closer to Frost's quarters, Lucy leaned in toward him. Not by much, by a centimeter or so. She was hoping his hearing was above average, so she wouldn't have to speak so loudly. "Would you mind if I gave you a first name? Just because you don't think of yourself as human, doesn't mean that you don't deserve to have one."

Padding along behind the girl, Frost couldn't seem to stop himself from looking towards his escort. She wore such strange clothing, modern fashion of the world above, but something that he had never before. His eyes studied the detailing of the sweater that draped her shoulders, and the curled brunette locks that bounced as she stepped.

In fact, he had been so involved in trying to understand her odd appearance, that he had barely heard her offer for a first name. "W-What?" He asked. Wait, don't ask anything. Frost had learned that the very first day he had been present in the lab's sectors.

'Where am I?' 'Who am I?' Oh, then he had been so deathly curious of the area around him. But, with each attempt to reach an understanding, a sharp pain rocketed from his shoulder. By Dr. Remons orders, Frost was to be sedated every time he dared ask a question. So, he associated his curiosity as pain, and all but stopped trying to contact the lab coats all together.

"A first name.." He repeated, unsure of whether it was wise to have this girl offer him a name. Gulping, he walked a little faster so that he could whisper a reply back. "I don't think that's wise."

Not wise? Not wise to give someone a name, something that didn't sound harsh and unforgiving, like Frost? How could one not want a first name?

"Why not? You're allowed one, I'm sure," She turned a corner, looking around to confirm that they were alone, weren't being overheard. "Or maybe just a name I could call you by. I mean, it's your choice, I can stop talking about it."

Now she was babbling, something she tended to do when she was nervous. She had never been one to be nervous around anyone, but Frost made her so. It was hard for her to understand why. Was it because he seemed cold, aloof, unreadable? Was it because the boy was a mystery, something that couldn't (or shouldn't) be understood? He intrigued but intimidated her.

The pair stopped outside of his quarters, Lucy standing awkwardly for a moment as she tried to warm her arms again. The chill hadn't left her bones yet and she felt as if ice had seeped into her very being. She glanced up at Frost, offering a small smile. "You know, there's a song that they sing around the holidays. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose," The faint memory of the cold air in the lab had given her the idea. "Can I call you Jack?"

Lucy, you expect too much of him. He knows nothing of holidays, or chestnuts, and certainly can't fathom why someone would be nipping at your nose. However, the name Jack seemed to resonate well with him. In fact, it fit so well that for a moment the boy wondered if his name really was 'Jack Frost'. However, that just couldn't be.

"I'd like that. Jack.." He repeated quietly, glancing down both ends of the hallway before watching the door to his quarters. Like the other rooms, it was made of heavy steel and had a single block window that was barred just as heavily as a prison would be. Normally he would have entered without hesitation, but today the boy was tempted to stall. After all, once he entered the room would be locked down until morning. No escape, and certainly no one to talk to.

"L-Lucy, right?" Oh what was he doing, trying to talk to the girl? But desperation filled his voice. Jack for once in his life was happy, but also fearful that it would end far too soon.

This wasn't a living space for someone. As far as she could tell, it was a prison cell, and a poor one at that for someone who was supposedly the next super soldier. The whitecoats were treating Frost as if he was nothing more than property, hardly deserving of comforts that most humans enjoyed. Again, the intern was tempted to speak her mind, to say what she really thought of all of this.

I can't, she thought, weighing the consequences in her mind. Far too much was at stake to just blatantly disrespect the agency, especially with one of its' newest creations right beside her. Again, she held her tongue on that issue, but her calm was hiding a storm.

"Yeah, that's right. Maybe we should reintroduce ourselves?" She held out her hand, wondering if he would know what that meant. As far as she could tell, he wasn't very knowledgeable about much. The confusion about the reference to the Christmas Song, she had noticed that immediately. "Hi, I'm Lucy. Nice to meet you."

He did indeed give her hand a puzzling look, but the gesture of a handshake wasn't completely foreign to him. In fact, Director Fury had shaken hands with him once or twice. Though, that was probably just a means of easing his already overbearing conscious. But, while he was hesitant, after a moment of getting over his awkward jittering, the boy takes her hand up in his.

"Jack. Jack Frost." Suddenly, a small smile curved on his lips. Normally, it wasn't such a big thing to see a teenager smile. But, for Frost.. it was something that had almost never occurred. His hand trembled slightly, almost afraid that he'd ruin the moment, but then he continued on. "It's nice to meet you."

As if the timing couldn't have been more horrible, though, footsteps began echoing down the corridor. Great. Just great. Jack knew full well that he would be in trouble if they were caught talking. And so, he released his grip on her hand and slipped into his room. It locked with a heavy click behind him, but the boy didn't care. Instead, he just remained watchful towards that tiny window.

She turned away from the door, her heart giving a nervous pitter patter as a tall, thin agent rounded the corner, looking almost bored and disinterested with everything. His dark suit, while bleaching the color from his pale skin, matched the ebony hue of his locks, slicked back yet still somehow tousled in disarray. That is, until he came to a stop outside Jack's room, his amber eyes flashing with an envious glare for a split second before he looked to Lucy.

"So you're the one assigned to be Frost's caretaker?" The agent sneered at her, as if she was nothing more than an annoyance, chuckling darkly as he looked her over. "

Forgive me if I stare. I knew you were young, but even then I was expecting someone a little more, well...more."

The intern's eyes narrowed, wanting to argue with the man. Since she had first arrived, everyone had belittled her because of her appearance, her age, her lack of abnormality. But would she be here, part of an organization that took only the best of the best, had she not proven herself worthy? Rising to take the bait would prove nothing save that she was not in control of her emotions. Ignoring his insult proved otherwise.

If the agent had been expecting a response from Lucy, he didn't seem to want to hear it. Instead, he stared at the steel door, his expression cold and calculating now. Her mind raced as she watched him, clearing her throat to break him from his trance. "Sitwell said that I was recommended. By a superior. They thought that I could handle the situation well enough on my own." By her logic, that was explanation enough. Not many dared to argue with the higher-ups on SHIELD's pyramid.

He laughed, the sound eerie and echoing in the relative silence of the hallway. "'Handle on your own?' You've no idea of what he is, do you? Of course you don't, you're nothing but a child," With a roll of his eyes, the agent continued down the corridor, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Be warned. When the time comes, know where you stand when it concerns him."

"What do you...?" Too late. He had disappeared down into the lab, the sound of his footsteps growing fainter until she could no longer hear them. Her mind was abuzz with confusion, her hazel eyes flicking toward the door, where Jack was kept captive behind. What had he meant about not knowing who he was?

No, that hadn't been what the mystery agent had said. What. He had said what he was. In a way, it was true. She had blindly followed orders, without knowing a thing about the individual she was now going to be spending her time escorting to and from places. Research, that was what needed to happen. Research on Frost, to find out what SHIELD had done to him.

But not today. Today, she was done with her duties. It was time to go home. "I'll be back in the morning, Jack. I hope you sleep well." Hesitating, almost unwilling to leave him all alone, Lucy made her way back through the twisting hallways in silence.

Little did she know, that as Lucy turned to leave, disappearing down the hallway she had come from, a little hand was pressed against the glass. Frost watched her go with dread, wishing, praying that she would actually come back tomorrow. He had never felt this way before, a longing to be treated with that rarity of kindness. But he was.

Turning back towards the broom cupboard of a room, the boy found that he could no longer look at it the same. Days past, and he had crawled into bed without thought. But now, he wondered why he had to sleep at this specific time. Why instead couldn't he have talked to Lucy? A haunting instruction echoed through his mind.

_You are not human. Not worthy of talking._

Frost clawed at his head, now having taken up a good rhythm of pacing. His fingers curled around his frosted hair roots and tugged in distress. Why was everything such a mess now? Calming after a few rounds of walking the perimeter, the teenager then came up by the only furniture in the room—a bed— and plopped down on top of it. One thing was for certain. There would be little sleeping tonight. But, instead, the boy conjured frost on the bedspread to make out a simple message.

_"My name is Jack Frost, and I long to be human." _


	3. Dangerous Perspective

**•~• CHAPTER THREE: DANGEROUS PERSPECTIVE •~•**

* * *

Early the next morning, hours before the next batch of agents would punch in, the intern was back at work, a thick parka over her uniform, which had been altered to accommodate the new environment she would be working under. Gone were the heels and business skirt, replaced with black snow pants and boots. If she was going to be working under sub-zero conditions, they couldn't have her suffering from hypothermia.

The trip back to Jack's bunk was shorter than it had seemed the day before, but not any warmer. The coffee Lucy had been contently drinking was now stone cold, the ceramic cup sticking to her lips as she took a sip. So much for a warm comfort down here.

After thinking over her first meeting with Frost, she had come to a decision. Befriending the boy wouldn't do either one of them any harm. It would actually be a welcome change for her, as her line of work offered little time for making friends. But her main concern was Jack, how lonely he seemed down here. Even if it was only for a few minutes a day, she wanted to show him the kindness that certainly wasn't being provided to him from anyone else.

She reached the barred door of his quarters and punched in the code on the panel beside it, stepping back as it swung open with a hiss. "Rise and shine, Jack. Time to get up. Carpe diem."

In truth, the boy was already up and moving about. Thoughts of Lucy's return had given a spark of delight to his normally pointless routine of making the bed. It wasn't required of him to do such an overlooked chore, but it allowed him to show a little responsibility to the one thing he currently possessed. As the door clanked open and swung on heavy hinges, the pale teenager could be seen sitting on the wooden footboard, balancing with ease. Upon seeing the young agent though, Jack leapt to the floor and gave her a boyish grin.

"Carpe diem?" Frost questioned as he pressed against the threshold of the room. "What is that?" While his excited attitude remained intact, a bit of curiosity now spanned those wide eyes. As he addressed her, Jack found himself looking slightly downward. It seemed there was quite a difference in height when it came to the pair.

"It means..." She trailed off on her thought, having to tilt her head back to look at him. Wow, he really was tall. "It's from 'Dead Poet's Society.' It means 'seize the day' in Latin. I like to quote it every now and then."

It would be a lie if she said her heart hadn't fluttered at the sight of his grin. Maybe it was just the shock of seeing it in the first place, much less directed at her, that caused it. It was the only explanation, right?

A quick glance at her watch told her that they were running behind schedule, bound to be late if they didn't leave soon. But for once, she was fine with breaking her record for punctuality. As soon as she led him back to the lab for God knew what was going to be done to him, that would be the last she would see of him for the rest of the day. These few moments they had to socialize, that was what was important.

Clearing her throat, Lucy held out a coffee cup to Jack, the coffee inside just as cold as her own, perhaps even colder now. "I don't know if you're a coffee drinker, or if they even let you have it. But I thought you'd like some. Wakes you up, gives you a little kick to start the day."

Brows knitting, Jack retrieved the styrofoam cup and held it just beneath his nose. "Coffee?" It was obvious nothing like the drink before him had been offered. But, nonetheless, the boy took a sniff before placing his lips cautiously on the rim. Just one sip. That was all it took for his face to scrunch up in disgust. For someone who hadn't really experienced any sort of food or beverage aside from the concoctions made in a lab, coffee was far too bitter. He shook his head and polite returned the cup to her. "I'm sorry, really. But that is awful."

However, the surprise gift hadn't been the only thing Jack noticed. Earlier, Lucy had glanced at her clock. It was an act that Frost had observed with many of the people that worked around him. All waiting for the funny little hands to tell them when to move on to the next task of the day. There was a clock in most every room he was kept in, and the boy had learned a few of the hand positions. "Are we late?" He asked, pointing a finger towards her wristwatch.

That had been the reaction she had expected, her eyes still fixed on him as she took the cup and tossed it into the waste bin with a quiet laugh. "I thought you wouldn't like it black. I usually pour half a cup of sugar in mine, but it still tastes horrible." So coffee was out of the game for now. It hadn't been her best idea at a surprise, but she could get better. After all, there were going to be many instances like this in the future if she kept this position. Plenty of time to perfect little surprises like this.

At the mention of their punctuality (or lack thereof), Lucy glanced back at her watch, tempted to pull her sleeve over it and forget it was there. The longer she could put off the inevitable, the better. "Just a tad. But I can always say that I got lost on the way down here." It wouldn't hold up well, but for now, it was the story she was sticking to.

It couldn't last, though, this stalling of time. Sooner or later, she would have to take him down to the lab, whether she liked it or not. Without a word, she waved Jack to follow her as she left the room, pausing to let him catch up before they departed down the hallway. Tempted as she was to ask him questions about what the scientist in the lab made him do, she stayed far away from asking them. It wouldn't do to ask too much of him to explain now.

He had been tempted to tell her that it was foolish to come up with lies, and that they should have just left the moment they met. But, the opportunity that had been presented just to use his own voice was something he couldn't belittle.

Following her in utter silence, he found himself restraining back his own strings of inquiry. 'What was it like outside the lab?' 'Where were they really?' 'Would he ever be able to walk freely like the rest of them?' However, fear caused the words to catch in his mouth and by the time enough courage was muscled up.. it was too late. Glancing ahead he could see the neon caution signs that patterned the laboratory's entryway, and more individuals had started appearing in the mazework of hallways as well. Dread welled within him at the thought of leaving the intern so quickly. But, it was the daily life that he partook in.

As the two of them approached the flashing doorway, two guards dressed in SHIELD military wear stood firm at each side. One of them lifted his arm to check a digital watch before giving the newcomer a frown. "First day, and you're late. Strike one." But, that was the only conversation passed before he gave his partner a nod.

"Inside Frost." The other muscled soldier barked, pushing against the swinging doors until it was cracked just enough for one to enter. The teen gave one last look towards Lucy, almost a farewell, before responding and entering the first outlet for the day. His eyes falling blank as the morning's excitement drained from his features.

"I lost my way down here. I'm surprised anyone can remember how to get here, it's like Pan's Labyrinth." The quip didn't look like it had much of an effect on the guards, her friendly smile falling as she looked to Jack. Suddenly, she had the desire to hold him tight, to protect her new friend of sorts from the likes of these people.

But she was just an ordinary human girl. What could she possibly do?

Once the doors closed behind Jack, Lucy turned around and headed back up the hallway, determination clear in her expression. She had to find a way to help him.

* * *

Having entered the room, Frost glanced around at the hundreds of shelved items. Trinkets and instruments of every size and measure could be seen, though their purposes were far from known. Three columns of glass stood floor to ceiling in one corner, bubbling with variating colored liquid. Another was occupied by a containment field comprised entirely of lasers, warning all who passed through of the frightening possibilities. Robotic arms sprouted from the floor, large holographic monitors flashed above table tops, white boards hid away every wall. When first encountered, it had even a terrifying sight to the newly made boy. However, now, Jack paid little attention to the scene. Instead, he casually took a seat next to one of the tables where Dr. Remons was waiting.

The Doctor scoffed at his creation, looking down on the boy before roughly seizing his arm and pinning it down against the table top. "Actually make an attempt today, Frost." While it was one of those rare moments that he actually spoke to the experiment, his voice seeped with annoyance. Fury was going to have his head if Project: Deep Freeze didn't produce more than a few runny noses. Swiping up a long metallic tube, a button clicked revealing a needled end before it was brought down into the boy's wrist. Jack whimpered, but didn't complain, and with a slight hiss the plastic slit in the cylinder showed blue liquid pouring into the canister. After the sample of blood had been harvested, Remons set the tube along with the others in a chilled cabinet. Turning back to the teen, he tossed to him a small aluminium package to him before disappearing.

Frost watched him leave, making certain that he was gone before indulging in the only food he was granted. Hastily, he tore away the wrapper, setting it on the counter and uncorking a decent sized vial. Within was a red substance that wasn't the most tasteful liquid, but did the job of fighting back hunger. A finger grazed over the serial on the side, the numbers matching the code on his shirt. He then dumped the serum into his mouth and swallowed it all in one gulp.

As if on cue, another doorway to the room opened on its own accord. The good doctor was really the only person he saw throughout the day. From his portioned meal on, only robotic doors and lighted pathways would guide him. Well, that, along with the human voices that issued orders from the network of speakers and cameras that recorded his every movement.

"Proceed 027563." A woman's voice echoed through the room as two rotating yellow lights flashed over the door.

"Yeah, yeah.. coming.." Frost muttered under his breath as he stood and continued on. Oh, this was going to be one long day.

* * *

Meanwhile, still deep in thought, Lucy hardly took notice of the voices coming from around the corner. From the sounds of their conversation, and the annoyed tones, they wouldn't be all too pleased to find her in their way. She ducked behind an adjacent corner, leaning in for a little eavesdropping on their conversation.

"...can't believe Stark would do such a thing! Three times in one week!" The first voice was gruff and deep, an image of a lumberjack coming to her mind from the voice. "Can you believe the nerve of him? He even had the gall to correct my formulas and write notes explaining why they were incorrect!"

The second voice was calmer, gentle, the voice of a grandmotherly figure. "It does you no good confronting him about it, Hubert. You know how Stark is. Mention that the system has been updated to keep him out and he'll spend days trying to find his way back in to discover every dirty little secret we're hiding."

Lucy's eyes widened with excitement and she leaned closer, but the two individuals had already passed by, disappearing into the lab. She took off down the hallway, thinking over what she had just heard.

So Stark knew how to hack SHIELD's database. He could easily find out what they were doing to Jack, what they had already done to him and why this was even needed. Convincing him would be difficult, but there was no stopping her now. Her pace quickened. She had a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist to find.

* * *

_Okay.. Deep breath.. Focus._

Jack repeated those words over and over as he stood squared up dead center in a sea of blue. He flexed his fingers, and rolled his neck slightly in anticipation. Instinct flooding him as those sapphire eyes narrowed and sharpened. This was it. The final chance.

The gritty sound of a siren was what broke the silence, with the computerized ceiling above flashed red in sync with the unsettling noise.

_Distraction. Focus._

Where blue walls had once been, suddenly snowy mountains appeared. For the giant projection screens were nothing more than camouflage for the simulated battlefield. The boy spun around on heel, watching every direction. When a bright speck caught his eye, Jack's muscles tightened and he charged towards the screen. But skidded to a stop when he realized it was only a tiny snowfall created out of his own fear.

However, then he saw it! A target in the corner of his eye.

Whipping around, the boy leapt into the air before unleashing an explosive amount of ice towards his intended aim. Hitting the mark easily, the holographic human gave a pained moan before collapsing to the ground and fizzling into nothing.

_One Down._

Though, the first bullseye was always the easiest to hit. Soon, two more characters had popped up and staggered towards him with guns raised. Frost gave these images the same treatment as the first, flexing his body like a precisioned weapon. As soon as the pixilated men were chilled down, though, more sprung up in their place. It wasn't long before Frost found himself outnumbered by the virtual army. Yet still the teenager fought stubbornly, kicking and throwing streams of ice towards his enemy.

_Not this time. Not this time._

Rehearsing the movements in his mind, the trapped being quickly decided to break the rules. Using an abnormal strength, he bounced from the floor and latched onto one of the walls using his frozen grip. "Try and get me now." Jack taunted to the programs below, who still insisted on pursuing and piled up in collision with the wall.

But, the moment of triumph was short lived as the whole training session froze, and with a long winding down noise the cubed room flicked back to its normal white skin. Even the targets turned to static before disappearing completely.

_Crap..._

Hopping down from the wall, Frost tugged at his hair in frustration. "I tried!" He reasoned to no one in particular. "I'm not strong enough." Heaving heavily from the exercise, his head dropped downward. Just in time to see a green ring pulse in the center of the floor. Jack knew well enough to move himself into the circle, even if that meant he would face judgement.

"I'm sorry.." Came his final plea.

"You failed." Came their answer.


	4. Fire Facade

**[Author's Note: Ah, it's so great to be getting feedback from everyone! I know both myself, as well as my co-writer are really excited about this story and have plenty more in store.~ Hope you all enjoy this next chapter!]**

* * *

**•~• CHAPTER FOUR: FIRE FACADE •~•**

* * *

"What do you mean, I have to have an appointment?"

Lucy leaned over the counter, glaring at the receptionist. It had been close to two hours since she had left Jack and her first destination had been Stark Tower. After hearing about him hacking the systems, it was all she could think about. Persuading him to do the same action again wouldn't be a problem. Or so she had thought.

The plump woman behind the desk rolled her eyes, pointing at a clipboard on the counter. "If you want to meet with Mr. Stark, you'll have to make an appointment. He's a very busy man and he can't shut everything down for one of his groupies at a moment's notice." Ignoring Lucy as she fumed silently, she turned back to her computer, typing lazily.

So Plan A had failed. Time for Plan B. Right about then, she was wishing she had thought of a Plan B. She should have thought ahead, thought that, no matter how many times she said she was a member of SHIELD, no matter how many times she showed her security pass, that no one would allow her to go where she pleased.

Fast thinking was required for instances like this. There wasn't any time to waste, not with her supervisor more than likely wondering where she had gotten to. There was already one strike on her record. Any more strikes today and she wasn't going to be in her position for much longer.

Shoving her hands into her pockets, she looked around, keeping as nonchalant as possible. Her fingers brushed against a square of cardboard in her pocket and she took it out, confused as to what it was. It was only after she turned it over that she realized what it was.

A book of matches.

An idea came to her suddenly and she made her way to the door as if she was about to leave the building. The receptionist was still occupied, not taking notice that Lucy had torn one of the matches free and had it lit within seconds. The flame licked at her fingertips, the heat uncomfortable. Before it could burn her any further, she tossed it into the bin by the desk, giving a small wave to the elder woman. "I'll be back." Smoke from the flames had already started to waft up into the lobby by the time she had reached the sidewalk. There was a shrill scream of "FIRE!"

It had worked. She hurried back inside, slipping past the receptionist and into the elevator without alerting her. _Phase one, complete_, she thought happily. _Now to get to Stark..._

Her stomach twisted and turned with each level up the tower, not from the journey, but from her own nervousness. There was only so much that she knew about what was happening to Jack. What if she said the wrong things and put him in worse conditions than he was already in?

She had to try. It was all she could do for him now.

* * *

"No. Just no. Tony, I won't allow it." Pressing her palm against the computerized desk, Pepper glared at the man across from her. "The Stark Expo was a short lived success. Even I'll admit that it did raise interest in stockholders by a tiny margin. But—a theme park? I think all that iron has finally gone to your head." She sighed, collapsing back into her chair.

"A least it hasn't sunk into my heart." A rather chipper individual replied, pressing a hand to his chest in mock hurt. "Oh, then I'd be the Tinman! ...always did love that movie." Tony's thoughts were as scrambled as ever, and he lost focus somewhere outside the penthouse window. Snapping back, his eyes caught with Pepper's. "Just think of it. A whole place dedicated to allowing ordinary people to feel extraordinary. I figured this sort of charity work would be right up your alley."

Her mouth dropped at the comment, wanting nothing more than to slap the arrogance right out of the man. But, she was always cool and collected, only showing a stern frown at the comment. "Putting your name across one hundred fifty acres and stock piling it with Iron Man merchandise is not charity. Not even close. It's only another way to feel that gaping hole inside. You know, the one that I thought I was filling." Alright, so she mellowed out to more of a tease. But, that was how these little 'business discussions' often went.

"Just promise me you'll think about it." Stark countered quickly, pointing a finger towards her. "Because I've already got great architects on hold and—... Miss Potts. Miss manager of Stark Tower... are you missing something?" In the center of the black screen flashed a red exclamation point. Something had gone awry and neither of them had bothered to notice.

"I-I.. uh.." Leaning forward, she tapped the symbol once before the blank space exploded with clips of security cameras and program listings. Two main issues surfaced over the archived documents in blocks of blue. 'FIRE' 'INTRUDER'. "..and just when I was beginning to think the day was easy." Letting out a casual sigh, Pepper flicked her fingers over the surface to scan through the data that JARVIS was streaming her. Already she had learned that there was a small fire down in the main lobby, and that it had been started by a mysterious teenage girl. Luckily Stark's AI system had done most of the work in playing back the feeds to provide a face match on the culprit. The intelligence still processing all of the footage when another window popped up. Accept this one was of the elevators.

"It seems we have a fire starter. Must be another one of those outrageous fans.." Lucy's efforts had actually been mild considering some of the others. With Tony flaunting his new 'superheroism' the newly finished tower was bombarded with enthusiasts and lovesick women alike. Oh, Pepper hated nothing more. Standing abruptly, she rounded the table to pat Stark on the shoulder. "Why don't you fly down and make sure your staff are still in one piece. I'll handle the girl."

"Fine. Make me be the responsible one." A wide smirk appeared as Tony patted the back of her hand. "Don't worry, Potts. This is only a minor distraction from Iron-Land!" Bounding to his feet, the rather ingenious man hopped off to get his suit of armor. Oh, she knew he would make a show out of saving the day. That's why Pepper had given him that job. It would keep him plenty occupied while she found exactly who was showing such efforts to get in. Normally it would have been a quick call to security, and the matter would be resolved. But, she determined to speak her mind when it came to these groups of fan-girls. In fact, she'll just stand before the elevator doors as she waits for their uninvited guest to arrive.

When the elevator doors opened, Lucy was shifting from one foot to the other, tugging on her coat nervously. The entire ride up, all she had thought about had been what she was going to say to Stark once she finally faced him. The few things she had heard about him from the other agents at headquarters had not been positive. He was rude, arrogant, an unabashed narcissist, the opposite of the Golden Boy image the general public associated him with since he took up the armor of Iron Man. If she was going to get through to him, her argument had to be concise, detailed and, above all, offer an incentive to him. The joy of getting under the skin of SHIELD's IT department would have to do for now. It was all there was to offer him, at least in the area of something he would be interested in.

Her determined expression fell as soon as she caught sight of Pepper, her heart sinking as she saw the unamused scowl of sorts the woman was wearing. Obviously, this hadn't been a welcome surprise. Then again, who was excited to see the person who had set a fire in their building? It wasn't the blaring sirens and handcuffs that she had expected, but this greeting wasn't warm in any way, shape or form.

"I'm sorry for the attempted arson, Miss Potts, but this is an emergency" she held out her hand, hoping that Pepper would take it. If not, then things would not be looking so well for her. "My name is Lucy Donahue. I work for SHIELD and I've come here for Mister Stark's help."

The girl's hand gets looked at, but not shaken. No, the stubborn business woman who had to deal with Stark's constant attitude was not going to take kindly to such a situation. "Emergency? Is that what you're calling it?" Her arms folded over her chest, fingers tapping lightly against her arms. "Now, what is it that you really want? Picture, autograph? Because let me tell you, I am sick and tired of all the flaunting." Her words snapped to unlying rage, but hinted at perhaps a small bit of envy as well.

"Either we can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can march right back into that elevator, and leave the building with some sense of pride. Or, I'll have JARVIS calm up security and you can be drug out like a small child." Stepping around Lucy on her regular heels, Pepper caught the elevator's button with her elbow. She was hoping to have this girl long gone by the time Tony were to make an appearance.

"Wait, you think I'm here to get memorabilia from Stark?" If Pepper hadn't looked so serious, she would have laughed. From the looks of it, this was a problem they regularly dealt with and one they didn't find funny. She shook her head, struggling for a moment to speak. "No, God no. I'm here because of an actual emergency. I'm not here to contribute to his already over-inflated ego."

She patted down her pockets, taking a heavily folded sheet of paper from her back pocket and holding it out for Pepper to read. It had taken quite a bit to get that paper from the files, but it was important that she had it before starting any other venture. A majority of the print had been blacked out, although a good portion of what was left detailed the barest details of Project: Deep Freeze. Chemical formulas, the doctor at the head of the project, even the purpose of such a gruesome experiment.

"SHIELD is keeping a young boy that they've subjected to this treatment prisoner at their main headquarters," Lucy kept her gaze steady on the older woman, the facade of the emotionless agent that she had taught herself to emulate in place and unwavering. "With Mr. Stark's expertise regarding the agency's system, I'd like to ask for his help in uncovering more about this experiment to free him."

It was certainly a surprise, and a welcomed one at that, to learn that the young girl had come for something other than to swoon over her partner. She visibly relaxed, and while the door behind her chimed and opened Pepper decided to hear Lucy out. If nothing else than to humor the teenager. When SHIELD was brought into play though, she raised a brow in suspicion. After everything Tony had told her regarding the Avenger's initiative and the weapons discovered on the flight ship, even the name made her a touch weary.

As the paper was handed over, Potts took the document and looked over it blankly. It was so standard of the government organization to lock down their files like this. But, the words that were visible transfixed her. _Remons..._She knew that name. A bit of history on her own part, but she had first hand knowledge on how inhuman the man could sometimes be. At the end of Lucy's explanation, Pepper returned the file over to her before turning and heading further inward into the spacious living area. "If SHIELD turned that boy into one of their test subjects, what makes you so certain that he even can be saved?" She wasn't trying to appear insensitive to the news, but she doubted the role that Tony could play.

Looking over her shoulder, she waved her hand for Lucy to come in as well. Not the typical meeting, but then again, when were schedules actually followed? Still maintaining a look of professionalism, Pepper seated herself on the edge of one of the loungers while waiting for a reply. It wouldn't be long at all before they were rejoined by Tony.

Had Pepper been facing Lucy when she had voiced her concern, she would have seen the look of anger and stubbornness that took over her calm facade for a split moment in time. Granted, she was grateful that anyone was even allowing her voice to be heard for once. But the other woman's tone had sparked her temper and her reply was curt. "I've spent time with Frost. He's caged up like a wild animal, without anyone to talk to or interact with. They treat him as if he isn't even human. More like he's only property." The intern paused, offering an apologetic glance.

The pilfered file was tucked away, back into the pocket from whence it came, and she took a deep breath. It was difficult, seeing where this conversation could lead. She had to expect everything that the businesswoman, and Stark himself, could ask her. But it was nearly impossible to prepare for everything. Her argument seemed less stellar than it had in the elevator, but she was not going to give up. If there was a way to get Jack out of the lab, she would do what was necessary to get him out.

She avoided sitting in any of the empty seats, standing tall and straight, trying to appear taller than she actually was. "Miss Potts, please, I just need a few hours of Mister Stark's time, maybe even less." It would take at least six hours to bypass SHIELD's security and firewalls, but she was hopeful. With a genius like Tony Stark running the show, things were bound to happen and happen quickly. "I swear, if there was anyone else I could go to, I would. I know he's a busy man. But there's a life at stake here."

_You did what you could for him_, she thought, biting the inside of her cheek nervously. The metallic taste of blood coated her tongue, but she did her best to ignore it, waiting for Pepper to speak._ Let's just hope they'll be willing to do something for him._

Before another word could be uttered by either of them, a third voice popped up from the background. "Life at stake? You wouldn't be referring to the one's that you put at stake downstairs, would you?" An electronic ring was heard with every step Tony took, walking into the room with all but the helmet still in place. Like Pepper before him, he carried a look of disinterest and slight annoyance. But, as he joined her side a way of charm appeared.

"Why don't you go ahead with that conference, Pep. I'll handle this." Giving her a wide grin, he returned the shoulder pat she had given him earlier. Just one moment passed between the two that wasn't soiled by constant company. Stepping away from her though, Tony walked right pass the intern. "You, sparkles, follow me. Talk fast and keep me entertained. Do that, and I might just hear you out after all." While he hadn't been there for the entire conversation before, he had hit some of the highlights. And so, he continued on without so much as a pause. There was only one destination in mind: the lab.


	5. Digital Truth

**[ Author's Note: Wow... so, I guess this is an update a day. We've just got so many wonderful ideas on the way. All for your reading pleasure, of course. Another chapter without Frost, I'm afraid, but don't worry. He'll be back in the next one!**

Co-author's note: I adore each and every one of our readers and I want to give a shoutout to Bruce for badgering me everyday to keep writing. Oh, and my co-author is awesome, WAY more awesome than me. ]

* * *

**•~• CHAPTER FIVE: DIGITAL TRUTH •~•**

* * *

_Holy crap. That. Is Iron Man._

The first thought that went through her head hadn't been the most eloquent or mature of thoughts she'd had. But was there an appropriate way to act when one of the Avengers was in the same room as you? When they addressed you directly, albeit rudely?

Such thoughts left Lucy's head as she trailed after Stark, trying to be brief with what she had to explain. She had a feeling 'keep me entertained' and the long version of the situation went about as well together as rats and arsenic did. "SHIELD's keeping a kid they experimented on captive in their main office here." Was he paying attention to her? It was hard to read his expression; for all that she could make out in his reaction, she might as well have been speaking to a brick wall. Time to get straight to the point. "I need information on an individual. Unfortunately, all information on him is classified and well above my pay roll. I've heard that you're the only man who's been able to bypass the security and get straight into the database."

If that wasn't clear enough for him, she was ready to blurt it out. But she had to take this cautiously, as cautiously as she possibly could. Pepper had seemed sympathetic. Now she was just hoping her boss showed the same level of sympathy.

"I'm afraid that they'll start using him as a weapon. From what I discovered, he's being primed to be the next generation of super soldier. Fury's made a human being whose strength beats out most of the Avengers, including yours, Mister Stark."

It was true that Tony hadn't really been listening. Instead, he was humming. Yes, humming. As the two of them made their way through the top level, Stark had even been so bold as to stop and pour himself a glass of scotch before continuing on their way. Finally coming to the second elevator, one for more private uses than the general public, Tony finally heard something that caught his attention.

"The only person out there stronger than this suit is my dear friend Banner, and this kid you speak of certainly isn't him." Actually, as he thought about the words he was saying, the cocky smile faded. What if SHIELD had managed to convert someone else? Oh, that didn't sit well within. Not at all. If Fury was trying to create someone stronger than the Avengers it really needed to be monitored, and destroyed if it came down to it.

"Why exactly do you want this information?" He asked curiously, stepping into the wooden panelled room and poking the needed floor number for his lab. "JARVIS, could you move that interview till Thursday? I'm just going to check out a few minor things." Talking to the ceiling above probably made most think he was insane. However, soon enough a robotic voice chimed through.

"Yes sir."

If it had been anyone other than Stark, she might have taken offense to his blatant disregard to what she was saying. It wasn't like she was doing this because she liked to hear herself talk. She wasn't trying to waste his time, but nothing seemed to faze him. Which is why she had told him about Fury's plan for Jack, however false it may be. Telling him that Jack could possibly be stronger than Earth's mightiest heroes was sure to catch his attention.

And it did. Now Stark was asking questions, paying attention. It was what she had been hoping for. She followed him into the elevator, glancing up at the ceiling as the AI spoke. "I only know bits and pieces. I need the cold hard facts, stuff that doesn't come easily to interns. Once I know exactly what he is and what they're using him for, I can lodge a complaint with Fury or the World Security Council, if I need to." Hearing the words aloud for the first time since she had thought this through was a tad unsettling. Going as far as seeking an audience with the Council was serious, even in planning alone. Self-doubt started to take hold and she hesitated.

"I'm not looking to make a fortune off of this or to manipulate him. I want to know what he is. Who he is," Lucy looked back at the billionaire, her jaw set as her posture straightened, her confidence returning.

Stark heaved a heavy sigh. "You really want me to waste hours just so you can know more about a kid that might just be a robot in general? If he was created by SHIELD, or mutated by them, odds are they aren't going to let an intern take him out of the system. However, I do like to take a jab at their systems every once in awhile, just to ruffle their feathers. ...not that they have feathers. Well, I'm sure someone does. But-er-anyhow. One hour. Not a minute more. I'll crack in, retrieve files on your mystery boyfriend, and then you can get fired to your heart's content."

Ending his words, the doorway dinged to signal their arrival. The mirrored door slid back to reveal a rather spacious workspace. Tables lined the walls as well as a few counters centered in middle of the room. There were a few bundles of robotics here and there, but what stood out the most was the holographic computer that quite literally filled the entire area of the room. Tony wasted no time in exiting the lift and heading over to the corner. For there was a platform that, when stood on, would disassemble to reveal the robotic talons below. Each of these fluid moving arms had a different instrument attached to the end, and working in unison, began to strip away the red and gold shell.

"Please, do come in. But no touchy." Whistling to a nearby bot, one that was mainly just an arm on wheels, the program responded and rolled up to his side. "Hold this boy." Stark instructed, handing off glass to the contraption. The amber liquid splashed around a bit as the robot retreated, but surprisingly it didn't drop the glass. "So much better than a dog." Tony mused to himself, reminiscent of a discussion once held with Rogers.

Had she not been worried about angering him and possibly getting removed from the building, she would've started putting her hands on everything. Telling her to come into the lab but not to touch anything was like telling a cat to stare at a fish tank and not snag a fish. Her hands were shoved deep in her pockets, to avoid temptation, and she watched the apparatuses take apart the suit, hiding her disappointment at seeing the man inside. On TV and in the footage, he seemed larger than life, superhuman. Up close, though, he was just an ordinary man with a bright light in the middle of his chest.

Ordinary, she could handle. It was the ordinary people of the world that got things done and done quick. With only an hour to work, things had to be done as soon as impossible.

"I can't thank you enough for this, Mister Stark. Truly, I can't." Sure, she had him doing what she needed, but it never hurt to keep the grateful tone in her voice. "But he's not my boyfriend. I think escortee would be the right word."

Losing her job had crossed her mind when she had set out on her spur-of-the-moment mission. But SHIELD couldn't fire her for wanting to know more about who she was escorting from now on. It wasn't a crime to want to know if she was around a potentially dangerous individual. Was it?

Once all of the separate pieces were unbolted, and drug down into the machinery below, Tony looked very ordinary indeed. In fact, when he stepped back onto the floor, the man wore a casual t-shirt and jeans. However, just like in the suit prior, a soft blue glow came from within the center of his chest. He stepped briskly into the center of the room, hands already gesturing to the air around him. "Escortee, boyfriend. Same thing. Now what in particular am I looking for, sparkles?"

Forming a box with his pointer fingers and thumbs, Tony slid his hands apart to create a screen of slightly transparent green before him. Then two more were created, instantly streaming lines of code. Rolling through the various files, he carded through his dark locks before finally pinpointing the correct pseudo statement. "Ah, there we go. JARVIS, make sure our network is coordinated before I start drilling. I don't want an hiccups this time."

"Right away. Shall I lower streaming for the Tower as well? Miss Potts is rather engaged in her afternoon film." The AI responded, sounding more human-like in the echoing room.

"Yes, go ahead and tune it down to fifteen-percent. Maybe then Pepper can finally look through my last approval. I know she's been putting it off." Don't be alarmed, Lucy. He's just talking to himself. It's a rather bad habit, and having entire systems built to answer his ramblings just made it all the worse.

"Information on Project: Deep Freeze. On the pool of applicants they selected for the experiment," She paused, closing her eyes, letting it sink into her mind so she was sure she wouldn't miss anything. "Find information on its' first volunteer. Everything on him that you can."

It was all she could do. The rest of this was in Stark's hands. Lucy watched him work, arms crossed as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. Her eyes stayed on the holographic screen, watching the movement of script across it faster than she could comprehend it.

The man took her words in with a nod before returning back to his task. A few more windows were created, all with the purpose in mind of breaking through a good thirty firewalls. "Fury, really.. I don't know why you even bother." He chuckled to himself, typing out his own algorithms to insert into the very virtual structures that guarded the database. With each successful hack, that formula then illuminated blue before disappearing altogether. It was a tedious process, but within the time span of ten minutes, all the displays flashed blank. On the biggest one, though, a new window popped up.

[SEARCH:_]

"Finally. Time to see what's so 'cool' about Deep Freeze." Stark grinned at his own pun while keying in the project Lucy was so interested in. He didn't really have much expectation for the files that remained to be uploaded. But, he certainly wasn't expecting the footage that surfaced as a sort of introduction to the file.

The video wasn't long, only six minutes in length, but the experiment explained certainly struck a nerve with Tony. It detailed out what had been done to the boy, how they pumped his blood full of a newly discovered containable plasma before submerging him in liquid nitrogen. At first, watching the blueprints and snippets of scientists involved provoked a slight anger. When the reel finished, though, his expression changed to that of confusion. "There's no way a normal teen survived that procedure. Even I couldn't make that work." He exclaimed, almost insulted.

While Stark had been wrapped up in the science of it all, Lucy had only been able to stare at the screen in absolute horror. There were a few seconds of the procedure being conducted on a brunette boy, no older than herself, and she flinched as she saw the needles being shoved into his skin without any gentleness, without mercy. The entirety of the video made her sick and her face became a pale shade of green, her revulsion at this clear.

"They could've killed him," she finally whispered, her hazel eyes locked on the image of the familiar snowy haired teen. "They would've killed him for a goddamn experiment."

There had to be a reason behind all of this. No one just willingly signed their life away for nothing in return. She pointed at the screen, her hand trembling. The video had affected her more than she would've liked to let on. There was no hiding her utter disgust with it now. "Check the files, please. I want to know why he was compatible, why it worked on him." More importantly, she wanted to know why he had gone through with it.

"Don't tell me what to do. You came here for information, but never specified what." Not that he wasn't already flicking through the various documents already searching for the answer to her question. "Besides, you hardly look like you can handle anything more than the intro video." Unlike Lucy, Stark hadn't been horrified to see what the simple teen had endured. Perhaps it was the company he kept, and the background they carried in two, but this individual had willingly wavered himself into the project.

...or did he.

Closing his fingers around one of the virtual pages, Tony pulled the screen until it became almost like paper in his hand. Brows knit further confusion as he muttered to himself. "AHA! So, that's how they did it." Suddenly breaking the tension, he waded up the three dimensional image and tossed it up into the air. "Okay... So, the video there said that they used ferrofluid mixed with subatomic particle cyrislle to preserve his vitals. But, that wouldn't have worked. No, such a compound would eat through your veins faster than the nitrogen would cool you down. However, this boy—Jackson Overland, wasn't just a random volunteer." While most of this was basically to show off, Tony pulled up an image of teenager before the experiment along with his schooling and basic information. Aside those two, though, he also clicked into place a model of Jack's blood. "I thought so.. His genetics must have been altered from early birth. There's at least two chromosomes that would cause his cells to produce Killydium. Almost untraceable, but by the age of eighteen he would have an immune system strong enough to battle the injections."

As he rambled on, more strokes were made to access the families history. "Poor family.. probably allowed their son to receive monthly injections to help cover bills." Rubbing his chin, Tony paused again. Hopefully Lucy really didn't have anything to say, because he was just going to talk over her anyhow. "Jackson alerted school officials that his sister was dying of heart failure, and a letter had finally given him the means of saving her." Looking over to the girl who was on the receiving end of all this input, he finally directed a question towards her.

"Is it just me, or does all of this sound a little fishy?"

She had ignored Stark's jab at her, focusing on the rush of information that he'd thrust upon her. Everything was repeated over and over again in her mind, being analyzed and stored away for further investigation later. The revelation of his real name, Jackson Overland, brought the barest trace of a smile to her lips. So Jack had fit well after all. What she was focusing on the most, however, was the measures that had been taken to ensure that this procedure would be a success. Genetic alterations from birth? Monthly injections? Had Jack even known about this before he'd been brought in? Before he'd received that letter?

And his sister. He had a sister, one who just happened to be dying of heart failure. Then SHIELD had come with a way to save her. Lucy nodded, tearing her gaze away from the screen. "It sounds suspicious to me too. This has funky written all over it. I need to get to the bottom of this." She turned to head back to the elevator, spinning around on her heel as she reached the door to face Stark one last time.

"Thank you, sir. I promise, your name won't come up in any investigations about this. I'll make sure it's like I was never here."


	6. Without Mercy

**[Author's Note: This one is a shortish chapter. Sorry, life sometimes gets even more hectic than planned. But, enjoy!]**

* * *

**•~• CHAPTER SIX: WITHOUT MERCY •~•**

* * *

A bead of sweat trailed down his temple, morphing to a droplet of ice before plummeting towards the floor. Even the tiniest sound of the impact echoed in his ears, breaking the frightening silence for the briefest of seconds. Jack had waited in agonizing patience to hear out his commanders. The ones that controlled his movements like a puppet on strings.

"You failed." Of all words to be spoken, those very ones quickened his pulse and nearly brought tears to his eyes. Throughout everything the boy had been told that failure was not an option, and now that it was inevitable—fully present, in fact, what would become of him then? It seemed he could only stand there, and wait.

But still, there was no sound.

It was the worst torture of all. His brain rushing and contorting to the many possibilities of his fate. Death, starvation, to be burned alive. Even as irrational as those outcomes seemed, Frost couldn't convince himself that there wasn't a chance. His shaking digits curled into fists as he kept watch on the wall before him. Out of anything, he just wanted the silence to end.

With massive clicks, streams of light poured into the room from above, blinding the only occupant until he staggered back, cowering from the flood lights. Jack held his hand as a shield for the sudden brightness, but even then he was unable to see a thing. Or.. Wait.. maybe he could. A bury figure seemed to be approaching him. But, before he could make out exactly what or who it was, his wrist (the one that had been desperately trying to save his sensitive eyes) was pulled down with a great force and twisted behind him.

It seemed that in his shock, the pale teenager had neglected to see two white coats flanking him. They had each managed to snag his arms, and locked his scrawny wrists into a metallic contraption that largely resembled thick cuffs. In that moment, Jackson looked as wild and scared as a cage animal. His head craned back as he squinted to gain a better view of his captors.

"What's going on? I'm sorry! I can try again. I-I-I won't fail. Please... don't kill me." Once his mouth had opened, first in question-then in plea, it seemed his couldn't stop the words from pouring out. He was absolutely terrified, and it showed plain as day as he tensed in the restraints.

"Kill you?" A deep voice responded. "You're the biggest investment this organization has ever taken a chance on, and you think I'll just kill you?" The image Frost had seen before sharpened and split into two individuals as they neared. And as the lighting finally dimmed, the boy finally immediately gasped in recognition the pair.

_Dr. Remons. Director Fury. I don't care what he said. I'm dead._

Jack's sheepish behavior was to be expected, predicted even, and the Doctor strode up to his side to rest a hand on his shoulder. Normally, such a gesture would have been considered calming, but the experimental child new better. "Please, I'll stay calm. I don't need any sedative." For Remons had, in fact, just emerged a syringe from his pocket. The balding man shot a look towards Fury, who in turn shook his head.

"There's no need, Doctor. I wouldn't consider him dangerous presently. Then again, I'm a terrible judge of character. Are you a danger to us, Frost?" His features, void of any expression, made Fury all the more intimidating as he remained statue stiff with hands clasped behind him.

"N-No." Jack choked out, trying to steady his voice. "I would never hurt anyone." Though, he realized that was probably a poor case considering the simulation he had just completed. Well, failed, but still he had been trained to attack other people.

"Be specific. You just nailed down a whole fleet of digitized people. Who will you refrain from attacking?" As the director pressed closer, towering over the white haired boy, it seemed there was only one answer that he wanted to hear.

...and Jack was reluctant to give it. He stared a good moment at Fury before averting his eyes, sighing to the ground. "I will not attack SHIELD. I will not attack anyone who is forced to deal with me." He spoke the words slowly, trying to hold back his disgust. For the reply was not his own. Instead, words of the Doctor, who had forced him to repeat the statements over and over throughout the first days of training. It all seemed so long ago now.

But, despite his clear annoyance with the pledge, the two before him seemed content. And an order of instruction was then whispered to the backing scientists. While he could not comprehend the bits of conversation that drifted towards him, they shuffled away towards a hidden doorway in understanding.

"What is going to happen to me?" Frost asked, still expecting the worst. However, the dark skinned gentleman didn't answer. Instead, he rounded behind the boy causing Jack to nearly leap as he unclamped the cufflinks.

"Prove to us that you are still an asset, and then we'll discuss your future." Came his ominous warning. "Recently we've come into contact with a relic that may have a positive impact on your abilities—give you a bit more power and control to the cold elements you control. But, we need to be certain of your absolute allegiance to us."

"You mean your absolute power over me." His eyes flashed up, daring Fury to tell him otherwise.

* * *

"Sparkles, wait!" Don't ask about the nickname. It's just Tony's way of communicating without being bothered to learn names. "You can't just go barging out now. Not when I know good and well of the havoc you are about to cause." Following her route to the elevator, Stark showed no hurry or extreme need to stop her.

"Havoc? I've no intention of causing any havoc," She jabbed the elevator button impatiently, tapping her foot as she waited for it to arrive. In times like these, when she was working within a window that seemed to be shrinking immensely with each passing second, her patience wore thin. "I want answers, Stark. More importantly, I need to find out what Jackson knows about his situation."

SHIELD was thorough when it came to instances such as Project: Deep Freeze. That much the intern had known prior to coming to Stark Tower. If so, had Jack known about the injections, what they were for? Had he wanted this to happen to him? Had he wanted to give up his entire life for a government agency that didn't even afford him the luxury of a companion?

The light above the elevator lit up with a ding and Lucy stepped inside, going over the new information in her head once again. Her argument for the Director was beginning to form, the outrage at what the agency had done fueling the words that she hoped would make the smallest difference for Jackson Overland.

"If you want to stop me, Stark, better do it now. Because I'm not giving up on this."

"So noble.." Rolling his eyes, he merely rested a hand on the door to prevent it from closing. "All you are going to do is get that boy locked up further. According to that introduction, the experiment that you are leading around has been brainwashed. A relatively new procedure, but he won't remember anything from before."

The elevator began to beep as the door had been held open for too long. Tony gave a sigh before backing out and giving the teen a farewell salute. "Just keep in mind, that his state might only worsen at your hands."

"I have to give it a try, sir. It's more than anyone else has done for him," Lucy gave the man a salute in return. "Thanks again. If I die, I'll be sure you're mentioned in my epithet." It was only a joke to her, but with what she was about to do, there was no telling if she would be allowed to leave SHIELD ever again.

The doors closed quietly, a stark contrast to the hurricane inside her mind. Thought after thought after thought was being thrown about, all having to concern the task at hand. What was she going to say to Fury to begin with? 'I disobeyed orders and found out your dirty little secret' didn't sound like the ideal way to start the discussion.

Much like with every other event in her life, she was counting on Lady Luck to be beside her the entire way. Luck was on her side quite often. But how much longer before that luck would run out?

The elevator came to a sudden stop on the ground floor, jarring Lucy from her thoughts. She stepped out of the doors the moment they opened, ignoring the murderous glare the receptionist cast at her as she made her way out of the smoky lobby. Someday she'd come back and make up for her act of arson. But that day was not today.

It took her almost no time at all to reach headquarters, barging through the glass doors like a woman on a mission. Which, coincidentally, she happened to be. Instead of turning for her office space, as was her routine, she headed back down below, back to the lab that she wasn't due to arrive at for a few hours more. The guards at the door seemed less than impressed with the small woman practically marching toward them, but Lucy didn't let that stop her. She came to a halt in front of them, her stubbornness just aching to show at the first sign of resistance.

"I need to speak to Doctor Remons and Director Fury. As soon as impossible."


	7. From Ice to Wood?

**[Author's Note: Well, here we are again. It's late at night and I decided to finally breathe some life into this story. It's only been what-? MONTHS. No amount of apologizing can make up for the wait you all have endured. However, still know that I am sorry. Here's a bit more for you.~ Read it. Like it. Comment. ...not necessarily in that order. Oh, and who do you want to see next? I know we've got a few planned appearances, but we'd love to hear from our readers as well. —K.B. ]**

* * *

**•~• CHAPTER SEVEN: FROM ICE TO . . . WOOD? •~•**

* * *

The Director just smiled. That same toothless smile that could likely cause small children to run back to the safety of their parents. Not that Frost expected anything more out of the man. After all, he hadn't been dealt a very fair deck to begin with. Why change now? Though there was something else that the experiment picked up on. A sense of fear. It was small, barely noticeable, but Frost was starting to believe that the collar was only tight around his neck to ensure their own safety. The cautions only put in place to prohibit him from going rogue.

"Bring the staff." As the boy lost himself in thought, Fury issued for this relic to be brought in. Two armored guards then brought in a rolling cart. The wheels squeaking as it swiveled across the floor, only stopping when it reached its destination. It was in that moment that the teen reeled his mind back in to stare in disbelief at the object in store.

"Pfft-! That!? Your ancient relic is... a branch?" A hand popped up to cover his forehead. What weird twisted game was Fury getting at? This twig didn't look thick enough to use as a bludgeon, and it certainly carried no special qualities. It was just that: a branch.

Fury didn't seem to follow the boy's joke. He scolded the experiment before firmly pointing to the very source of his mockery. "Pick it up, Frost. Looks are deceiving. You best learn that now."

All at once, the laughter dissipated from the air. Leave it to the director to suck the lightened atmosphere straight from the air. Frost shot the man a weary look, but picked up the rod all the same. "You happ—?" He had begun.

However, just like the man had warned, the wooden stave soon erupted with light. Pale blue brightness surged from the cracks in the surface. "...what?" His own cerulean orbs danced with the illumination as Jack questioned what was happening.

"Congratulations kid, you just made friends with a three hundred year old twig." As always, Fury's voice loomed from behind the walls of light to taunt him.

"My first friend is a branch.. Somehow, that shouldn't be this exciting." But it was. The fact that this bottled power awoke simply by his touch was enough to send Frost straight from fearful to giddy. The rays of blue bathed him in comfort, and a smile smoothed out over his lips. By the time the shinning inner core faded, the experiment seemed transformed.

"If you so much as poke me with that thing, I'm taking it away." Once the room was back to normal, Fury strolled up to the boy as if he was scolding his own child. "Until then, it's your's to keep."

"Wait, you mean it's mine?" Of course he had just heard those exact words come from the Director's lips, but it never hurt to be positive.

"Unless you don't want it?"

"No. No! I definitely want it." Frost found himself clinging to the piece of wood in that instant. His first possession. The boy was rather determined to make sure that it wasn't his last. As his grip tightened, though, the relic gave way to yet another ability. The frost that caked his skin and clothes only continued to spread to the wood. It became in that instant, an extension of the boy. A magnifying glass for the powers that remained in his future.

"Good. Ready for another round of tests?" The man observed the reaction keenly, even if was only with one good eye. Their predictions had been correct, and the staff had linked seamlessly with their creation. Even he couldn't hide the bit of curiosity that played over his features.

"Yeah, I think I can put up a show." Twirling the staff high above his head, Frost tested the weight of his new weapon. It felt level in his hands. Perfectly balanced, despite the obvious crook in one end.

For the first time since his awakening Frost was rather... excited.


End file.
